Anyone have a supplier for 'generic' VIS stickers ?

[Thalassamania]

Try not to be an idiot... Okay?

You should try to understand what the actual rules are. Many of us, who have posted, already know, and we know that what you are posting is only driven by your lack of background combined with a desire to believe this shop owner, whom it appears has been lying to you and to the public. You backed yourself into this corner with your own naivete, so I really don't know where you get off suggesting that those who've provided you with the straight scoop are idiots.

What does a dive shop get rich off of?

So the shop spent $1K+ for a device that is only really useful or appropriate for inspecting 6061 Al tanks but refuses to fill those 6061 tanks. And then it requires customers to help pay for the unnecessary investment.

Just another example of why divers get frustrated with LDS's.

Yup.

 

[oxyhacker]

This is what we call a "men in black" story. The DOT has no authority over scuba VIPs (except the ones an authorized retester does during the hydro test, but that's another story) or overfills of privately owned tanks. Yet I keep hearing about dive shops that swear that DOT inspectors came in and did things like checking the filled tanks on the floor for overfill, or checking VIP logs. I've even talked with the DOT enforcement people and they tell me they don't inspect SCUBA shops - they just don't have the manpower to do it even if they wanted to, which they don't.

Next time ask them to show ID and to explain why they are there, and let us know what they say.

I have no doubt about DOT. They come in pretty regularly to look at our log book for VIP inspections.

 

[Cave Diver]

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A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

Gentlemen,

Knock off the name calling and insults. If you can't participate in this discussion in a civil manner you will be removed from it.

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[oxyhacker]

Visuals have been around much longer than PSI. Best I can recall, it was one of the certifying agencies - NASDS? - that came up with the first formal program. The idea then was for just a quick common sense peek into the tank to check for gross defects. Most of the other agencies followed suit, selling visual stickers fairly casually to anyone with an instructors or dive masters card - special training was not considered necessary.

Yearly internal inspection has been SOP for university programs and NOAA since the early 1970s. Bill High took the procedure(s) from NOAA out to the dive industry in (I believe) the mid 1980s.

 

[Thalassamania]

Visuals in University Programs, NOAA and the Military go back to before NASDS even existed, and way before NASDS started their "first in the industry" program that coined the now generic term "VIP" (Visual Inspection Program). Bill High did not, "go public" with his recreational community program, "PSI" (Professional Scuba Inspectors), until after he retired from NOAA. I think PSI's first program was run in 1983.

 

[JKPAO]

Thal, Are you familar with a Jim Stewart (not the actor) of Scripps Inst. of Oceanography?
I took his course in '93, talk about old and salty. He told us few, that he was the only person to ever get a pic of the shark that bit him!
See you topside! John

Does not play well with others!

 

[Thalassamania]

Jim is an old friend, we've worked together on many programs and projects.

 

[tregrrr]

what does a dive shop get rich off of?

So the shop spent $1k+ for a device that is only really useful or appropriate for inspecting 6061 al tanks but refuses to fill those 6061 tanks. And then it requires customers to help pay for the unnecessary investment.

Just another example of why divers get frustrated with lds's.

6351??... were you thinking faster than you type again??

-edit-
I managed to pick up my Visual Inspection Plus console (with 3 or 4 extra probes) for 250$. Now I only have steel tanks... DOH!!

 

[diver 85]

honestly, you might have too many tanks--------(stop & think about that for a second....)